Web-folding machine



W. A. LORENZ WEB FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1923 Invenof Patented Get, 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,604,056 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. LORENZ, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE OTAKA. FABRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A COR- WEB-FOLDING MACHINE.

Application filed June 13, 1923. Serial No. 645,202.

This invention relates to the longitudinal folding of a paper web.

One of the main features of the invention is the production of two folds alon the web, whereby it may be narrowed to a out onethird of its originalwidth, the folds being reverse, so that the side portions fold against the opposite sides of the middle portion of the web. This gives the web a fan-fold or zigzag appearance when viewed endwise. One or both of the side edges of the folded web, preferably both, overlap or roject from the folded web. For examp e, the width of one fold may be about of the width of the web, the width of the other fold may be also 35%, and the width of the web between the fold creases may be 30%, thus leaving edges or borders projecting from the sides of the folded web, the width of each projecting border being 5% of the original width of the web. The web, so folded, may be severed into short lengths to form paper towels, napkins and other devices; If desired, simultaneously with the cutting, each towel may be provided with transverse flutes to form ornamental borders.

There is herein disclosed a machine for folding a web of paper continuously into a triple or three-ply fan-folded web, each edge overlapping or projecting. beyond the middle portion of the folded web. There are employed for this purpose horizontal feedingin or drawing rolls atthe intake side of the machine. The web advancing from said rolls is bent downwardly by an inclined angular folding-apron, plate or former, which is placed substantially at one side of or offset from the longitudinal center of the web. Said former has one prolonged angular edge to extend to the remote edge of the web, and one short angular edgeto extend to the near edge of the web. The apex of this former is bent in a curve and extends between vertical guiding rolls; the folded web atthis stage traveling in a vertical plane. From said guiding rolls the folded web consisting of narrow flap and a broad flap (or having a low edge and a high edge), is led over an obliquely-placed angular former plate arranged on edge, the wide end of the plate standing vertically nearsaid guiding rolls. This second former plate is placed obliquely to the longitudinal center of the web, and

guides the paper from said guiding rolls to a pair of creasing and feeding rolls, which are placed horizontally or at right angles to said pair of guiding rolls; the doubly-folded web having at this time assumed a horizontal. position. As the paper emerges from the pair of vertical guiding rolls, the broad flap of the web bears against the second triangular former plate, andthe upper edge portion of said broad flap folds down over the top angular edge of said plate; while the opposite portion of the web folds over the lower edge of the former plate. This operation results in a triple-ply web having two single-ply projecting edges; the central portion of the web being narrower than the fold-ed portions thereof. The web is then folded unequally at two edges. It is beheved to be broadly new to use the disclosed former plates for producing a triple-ply fanfolded web whether with or without overlapping edges, and to offset the longitudinal center or crease of the folded paper, preparatory to making a second fold by means of a longitudinally central folding apron.

From the pair of horizontal creasing and feeding rolls, the folded web proceeds to the 5 cutting rolls, which are provided with embosslng or corrugating dies to ornament the pa er along the lines of severance.

ther features and advantages will hereina'fter appear.

I In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan ofone form of a folding and embossingmachine for carrying out the present improvements. i

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same. i

Figure 3 is a plan of a folded towel or napkin produced by said machine.

Figure 4c shows the edgewise zigzag ap pearance of the folden napkin at Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side edge view of Figure 3. Figure 6 shows the towel opened out. Figure 7 is a perspective to illustrate diagrammatically the production of the second or reverse longitudinal fold in the web, leaving the. portion of the web between the fold creases narrower than the side folds.

Figure 8 is a sectional detail of web-severing and flutingor embossing rolls.

The web 10 is led in between feeding couples comprising each an upper roll 11 and plate 16, which inclines downwardly away from the rolls, as at Figure 2, the sidesof the plate converging, as at Figure 1, whereby the web is lon itudinally folded, the

crease being indicated at line 18, Figure1. This line bisects the angle formed, by the converging side edges of the plate. It will be seen at Figure l t/hat this axis lgisniuch nearer sijde edge 19 of the web than it is to the other side edge 20; or, in other words, the angular former plate is offset substan tially from the longitudinal center lineof the web. If nothing further weredone to the web it would thus have one crease line 1? ofl'set-frointhe center line of the web, which would thus be'coinprised of anarro w flap 21 and a wide fia 22. It will be noted that the crease or f d is produced partly by the former plate 16 and partly by the aid of apairof vertical guiding rolls 2 3 placed at the apex of the angle of the former plate 16.

The upper angular edge of former plate 16,,at- Figure 1, may be prolonged or extended back at 24 nearly far enough to intersect one side edge of the incoming web, so that at this side of the .web the fold ing operation maybe initiated 'as soon as the webleaves the-feeding rolls 11, 12, as at 25. At its extended portion 24 the angle platemay be made of full width, so thatit may support and guide the side portion 19 ofthe web to the point where it begins to fold at 26 over the loweror short angularside 27 of the former. This'former may be supported by an overhanging cross-bar 28', mounted upon posts 29; astud30-depending from the bar and carrying a bracket31 to which the former plate 16 is riveted.

The web, reduced in width about one-third by this offset folding, now passes to a second angular former for making a second fol-d,

to left towards the bottom portion of Figure 1. The plate 35 is carried by a bracket 36 projecting from theside vof'a post 37, and taper-s from its broad end, near the delivery sideofthevertical rolls 23, to itsapex" in the bightof a pair of horizontal creasing and feeding -rolls38. :The axial. line of the vsecond. former 35 isslightly below the previously folded up edge 26 of the web. Said plate or former 35 is placed at such a point that'the ne-w' crease will'be equidistant from but on the opposite side of the original cent'rall'iii'e of the web from the crease 17. The folding of the web bymeans of the former proceeds the same as if the narrowed web were single ply, and the edge 26 gradually draws -o r curls away from the main body of the web; Owing to the position of the second former 35, and the creasing rolls 38, "the final fold line or crease 39v is so placed theta border tO on the folded web projects beyond the fold line 17 thereby overlapping the folded web, which therefore has a rela'- tively narrow central portion between relativ-ely broad foldson each "or its faces or sides, Figure 4;

The foldedlweb, may be divided into appropriate lengths by means; of apair of severing .rolls 42, geared at 43 to the creasing and feeding rolls 38, and driven by a pulley c -"otherwise The cutting is done byaknife. blade 15 on one cylinder to co-operate with a grooved portion 46 an length. of the opened-out towel, as at Figure .6.,.;so thatthe ornamental border or flutl9 extends longitudinally of the towel. Variationsmay be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others. Having thus described my, invention, I

claim:

- '1'; A web-folding'machine comprising an angular former substantially o ifs et frorn' the middle line of the webto produce a fold,

aof whichone flap is substantiallynarrower than the. other,;guiding rolls at the apex of said :formeiga secondformer to produce a re'versekfold in the broad portion of the foldedweb, the second former having its broadend extending along said guiding rolls,?a pair of feeding rolls at the apex of the second formerzand arranged at right angles to rolls in, the first pair, a pair, of

cutting rolls to sever the folded web into sections, and nreansforembos sing the folded web along the lines of severance. a

2. A webefold; ng machine compr sing an angular.formfirsubstantially offset from the middle Kline ciftlie 'Web TtD P ZOLduCe a fold, Of which 'one flap. ,is substantially narrower than the jotll ir guiding rolls 4 at "the; apex 1 of ssaiclf .-former, a second former to produce a reverse fold in the broad portion of the folded Web, the second former having its broad end extending along said guiding rolls, a pair of feeding rolls at the apex of the second former and arranged at right angles to rolls in the first pair, and transverse cutting rolls for severing the Web into sections, one cutting roll having a knife and provided on each side of the knife with embossing dies extending along the knife, and the other roll having co-operating parts for cutting and embossing the web.

3. Apparatus for folding a Web continuously into a three-ply fan-folded Web, with each edge overlapping or projecting beyond the middle portion of the folded Web, comprising horizontal feeding rolls and an inclined angular fold-producing former, with its broad end extending along said feeding rolls, said former substantially ofiset from the longitudinal center of the fan'folded web, and having a prolonged angular edge to extend to the remote edge of the Web, vertical guiding rolls at the apex of said former, asecond angular fold-producing former placed obliquely With its broad edge extending along said vertical guiding rolls, a horizontal pair of feeding rolls at the apex of the second former, said parts so placed that as the Web emerges from the pair of vertical guiding rolls its broad flap bears against the second angular former, and the upper edge portion of said broad flap folds around the narrowing portions of said second former, and cutting rolls provided With embossing dies to ornament the paper along the lines of severance.

WILLIAM A. LORENZ. 

